What is an Uncontested Divorce?
Couples decide to divorce when they simply cannot make things work anymore. However, while divorce is usually brought on by conflict, sometimes a couple can agree in full with the terms of the divorce and all its components. This is called an uncontested divorce. When you serve your spouse with a summons and petition for dissolution of marriage, along with any other forms relevant to your case, they have a…
Read MoreThe First Steps in Beginning Your Divorce Proceedings
Once you decide that you and your spouse can no longer make it work, you may be wondering what your first steps are. Your first steps will depend on how you will end your marriage. There are three options for ending a marriage or domestic partnership. You will file for one of these options depending on your case facts and the status of your marriage as it stands. Annulment; Annulments…
Read MoreHow to Keep Your Assets Secure During Divorce
In a divorce, you may feel financially vulnerable. Suddenly, several different parties will have access to information about your assets for the purposes of determining how much you will have to part with. For most people, this is a nerve-wracking experience. You have worked hard for your financial well being and now you may have to fight to keep as much as you can. However in all California divorces, community…
Read MoreWorking Spouses: Can the Judge Order My Spouse to Work?
After a divorce, you or your spouse may be awarded spousal support for a period of time. The intent of spousal support is to provide temporary financial support for a spouse until they can become self-supporting. In most cases, spousal support will be temporary and may have a set time when it will be terminated. In other cases, there may be no set termination date however it may still be…
Read MoreAnnulments: Eligibility Criteria and Process
There are many different ways to end a marriage. For most people, they will go through the traditional divorce process. Some will qualify to file for a summary dissolution, which is a streamlined version of a divorce for short-term marriages with few assets and no children. Annulments are another option for ending a marriage however very few marriages will qualify to file for one. An annulment is what is considered…
Read MoreKnowing Your Worth: What is Considered an Asset?
One of the most complicated parts of a divorce is dividing the net worth of the marital party, which requires taking stock of all assets and all debts. Debts are clearly defined; money or other consideration owed to another party. Debts can be loans, lines of credit, credit cards, personal debts, mortgages, taxes or support owed. Assets, on the other hand, can take many forms. An asset can be something…
Read MoreAttorney’s Fees: Who Pays for Them?
Divorce can be expensive, this we all know. It can also be affordable under certain circumstances. Every divorce is different and will require more or less time or efforts dependent on how complex it is. Issues that can increase the complexity of a divorce are number of children involved, custody disputes, business ownership, significant assets or an overall high net-worth. In these cases, it can be well worth the investment…
Read MoreSelf-Employment and Divorce: What You Need to Know
Dealing with finances in a divorce can be a headache. Property division in California follows the community property rule; all marital assets are to be equally divided between the two spouses. While this sounds simple, many things can quickly complicate this part of the divorce. One such complicating factor is self-employment income, which may not be as easily verifiable or predictable like a salary. Today, many successful Californians are self-employed….
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